日本海事新聞ニュース Japan Maritime Daily Aug 29, 2025 (Fri)

Mitsubishi’s Withdrawal Raises Concerns About the Future of Japanese Offshore Wind Power

　As previously reported, on August 27, Mitsubishi Corporation announced that it would withdraw from ・・・ 続きはログインして下さいnext %E3%80%80As+previously+reported%2C+on+August+27%2C+%3Cb%3EMitsubishi%3C%2Fb%3E+Corporation+announced+that+it+would+withdraw+from+offshore+wind+power+generation+projects+in+three+waters+off+the+coast+of+Chiba+and+Akita+prefectures.+Construction+costs+more+than+doubled%2C+and+it+was+determined+that+the+project+would+not+be+profitable.+At+a+press+conference+on+the+same+day%2C+President+Katsuya+Nakanishi+explained+that+the+main+reason+for+the+increase+in+costs+was+the+rising+prices+of+wind+turbines+imported+from+Europe.+Although+the+company+was+criticized+for+winning+the+bid+by+setting+a+low+selling+price+for+the+electricity%2C+he+defended+the+company+by+saying%2C+%E2%80%9CEven+if+we+had+set+the+selling+price+at+more+than+double%2C+the+business+would+not+have+been+viable.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80The+three+sea+areas+that+%3Cb%3EMitsubishi%3C%2Fb%3E+Corporation+has+been+developing+are%3A+1.+the+coast+of+Noshiro+City%2C+Mitane+Town+and+Oga+City%2C+Akita+Prefecture%3B+2.+the+coast+of+Yurihonjo+City%2C+Akita+Prefecture%3B+and+3.+the+coast+of+Choshi+City%2C+Chiba+Prefecture.+In+February+of+this+year%2C+the+company+announced+that+it+was+reassessing+the+project%E2%80%99s+business+viability.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80At+the+press+conference%2C+President+Nakanishi+said+that+the+biggest+factor+behind+the+more+than+doubling+of+construction+costs+was+the+rising+price+of+wind+turbines%2C+which+are+the+core+equipment+for+offshore+wind+power+generation.+There+are+only+three+European+wind+turbine+manufacturers+operating+globally%2C+so+%3Cb%3EMitsubishi%3C%2Fb%3E+Corporation+was+unable+to+restructure+its+supply+chain.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80President+Nakanishi+explained+his+views+on+the+trends+in+wind+turbine+prices.+In+Europe%2C+wind+turbine+manufacturers+have+been+forced+to+take+large+impairment+losses+due+to+rising+prices+caused+by+the+Russia-Ukraine+war.+As+manufacturers+competed+in+technological+competition%2C+there+were+situations+where+new+products+had+to+be+developed+before+the+development+investment+could+be+recovered.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80It+seemed+that+prices+were+being+kept+down+due+to+competition+among+companies.+However%2C+things+changed+around+2023+and+companies+began+raising+prices.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Looking+back+on+these+trends%2C+President+Nakanishi+said%2C+%E2%80%9CWind+turbines+are+the+key+to+offshore+wind+power+generation.+We+should+have+investigated+it+more+thoroughly%2C%E2%80%9C+reflecting+what+happened.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80President+Nakanishi+denied+the+view+that+setting+the+electricity+selling+price+low+made+it+difficult+to+ensure+profitability.+%E2%80%9CAt+the+time+of+bidding+in+May+2021%2C+we+set+the+price+to+ensure+sufficient+profitability%2C+taking+into+account+the+business+environment+and+trends+in+material+prices.+The+government%E2%80%99s+bidding+evaluation+also+recognized+its+suitability%2C%E2%80%9C+he+explained.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Regarding+price+changes%2C+the+company+also+considered+moving+from+the+%E2%80%9CFIT%E2%80%9C+system%2C+in+which+private+companies+purchase+electricity+at+a+fixed+price+set+by+the+government%2C+to+the+%E2%80%9CFIP%E2%80%9C+system%2C+in+which+the+government+adds+subsidies+to+the+market+price.+He+said%2C+%E2%80%9CWe+have+independently+negotiated+with+off-takers+%28purchasers%29+who+are+expected+to+purchase+electricity+if+the+transition+is+made.%E2%80%9C+However%2C+even+if+the+selling+price+were+more+than+doubled%2C+it+was+estimated+that+expenditures+would+exceed+income+over+the+30-year+project+period.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80In+response+to+a+question+from+the+press+about+whether+extending+the+project+period+would+have+helped+to+recover+costs%2C+he+replied%2C+%E2%80%9CThe+plants+will+be+deteriorating%2C+and+we+don%E2%80%99t+know+if+we%E2%80%99ll+be+able+to+receive+a+warranty+from+the+manufacturers+in+30+years%E2%80%99+time.%E2%80%9C+He+indicated+that+he+believes+extending+the+period+will+not+solve+the+problem.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80The+majority+of+the+losses+related+to+the+withdrawal+from+the+offshore+wind+power+generation+project+had+been+recorded+in+previous+fiscal+years%2C+so+additional+losses+are+expected+to+be+limited.+He+explained+that+the+security+deposit%2C+which+will+be+forfeited+as+government+property%2C+has+already+been+recorded+as+well.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Local+companies+in+Akita+and+Chiba+prefectures+have+made+advance+investments+in+anticipation+of+offshore+wind+power+generation.+To+them%2C+he+apologized%2C+saying%2C+%E2%80%9CWe+are+sorry+that+we+could+not+meet+your+expectations.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80In+response+to+an+interview+by+the+Japan+Maritime+Daily%2C+the+MLIT+Ports+and+Harbours+Bureau+indicated+that+it+plans+to+examine+the+factors+that+led+to+the+withdrawal.+Regarding+the+base+port%2C+which+is+positioned+as+a+base+for+offshore+wind+power+development%2C+it+expressed+its+intention+to+continue+encouraging+its+use%2C+as+it+believes+that+the+need+remains+the+same+even+if+the+developer+changes.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80At+a+press+conference+on+August+28%2C+Director-General%2C+Maritime+Bureau+Keita+Arakaki+frankly+expressed+his+feelings%2C+saying%2C+%E2%80%9CAt+this+point%2C+I+am+shocked.%E2%80%9C+As+for+the+Maritime+Bureau%E2%80%99s+future+policy%2C+he+said%2C+%E2%80%9CWe+would+like+to+gather+information+and+prepare+to+respond+appropriately+to+the+actions+of+the+government+as+a+whole.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80In+the+7th+Strategic+Energy+Plan%2C+which+was+approved+by+the+Cabinet+this+year%2C+offshore+wind+power+generation+is+positioned+as+key+for+making+renewable+energy+the+main+power+source.+Japanese+big+carriers+are+also+anticipating+future+demand+growth+and+have+been+working+on+developing+related+vessels+such+as+CTVs+%28Crew+Transfer+Vessels%29+and+training+personnel.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80A+Japanese+carrier+official+said%2C+%E2%80%9COur+intention+to+focus+on+offshore+wind+power-related+projects+remains+unchanged.%E2%80%9C+However%2C+he+expressed+concern%2C+saying%2C+%E2%80%9CThe+situation+with+the+first+round+could+dampen+enthusiasm+for+investing+in+offshore+wind+power+and+lead+to+projects%2C+including+floating+types%2C+being+postponed.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EDisclaimer%3A+The+English+translations+provided+through+this+service+are+the+result+of+translations+made+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+or+automatically+and+mechanically+translated+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+using+an+automated+translation+system+provided+by+a+third+party+after+certain+processing+of+the+Japanese+content+licensed+by+the+third+party.+In+terms+of+the+English+translation%2C+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+and+MarineNet+Co.%2C+Ltd.+make+no+warranty+or+burden+of+any+kind%2C+express+or+implied%2C+including+its+accuracy%2C+reliability%2C+validity+or+fitness+for+a+particular+purpose.+MarineNet+Users+should+fully+understand+that+this+service+uses+an+automated+translation+system+that+automatically+and+mechanically+recognizes+and+analyzes+information+and+produces+results.+The+users+should+understand+the+above+conditions+before+using+this+service.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E5%85%8D%E8%B2%AC%E4%BA%8B%E9%A0%85%EF%BC%9A%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%82%92%E4%BB%8B%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E6%8F%90%E4%BE%9B%E3%81%95%E3%82%8C%E3%82%8B%E8%8B%B1%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%81%8C%E4%BD%9C%E6%88%90%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%81%8B%E3%80%81%E5%8F%88%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%89%E8%80%85%E3%81%8B%E3%82%89%E4%BD%BF%E7%94%A8%E8%A8%B1%E8%AB%BE%E3%82%92%E5%8F%97%E3%81%91%E3%81%9F%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%86%E3%83%B3%E3%83%84%E3%82%92%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%81%8C%E4%B8%80%E5%AE%9A%E3%81%AE%E5%87%A6%E7%90%86%E3%82%92%E8%A1%8C%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F%E4%B8%8A%E3%81%A7%E3%80%81%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%89%E8%80%85%E3%81%8C%E6%8F%90%E4%BE%9B%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%BF%BB%E8%A8%B3%E3%82%B7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0%E3%82%92%E5%88%A9%E7%94%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%9A%84%E3%83%BB%E6%A9%9F%E6%A2%B0%E7%9A%84%E3%81%AB%E7%BF%BB%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E7%B5%90%E6%9E%9C%E3%81%A7%E3%81%82%E3%82%8A%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%80%81%E3%83%9E%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E5%BD%93%E8%A9%B2%E8%8B%B1%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%AB%E9%96%A2%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E3%80%81%E3%81%9D%E3%81%AE%E6%AD%A3%E7%A2%BA%E6%80%A7%E3%80%81%E4%BF%A1%E9%A0%BC%E6%80%A7%E3%80%81%E5%A6%A5%E5%BD%93%E6%80%A7%E5%8F%8A%E3%81%B3%E7%89%B9%E5%AE%9A%E7%9B%AE%E7%9A%84%E3%81%B8%E3%81%AE%E9%81%A9%E5%90%88%E6%80%A7%E3%82%92%E5%90%AB%E3%82%81%E3%80%81%E6%98%8E%E7%A4%BA%E5%8F%88%E3%81%AF%E9%BB%99%E7%A4%BA%E3%81%AB%E3%82%82%E3%80%81%E3%81%84%E3%81%8B%E3%81%AA%E3%82%8B%E4%BF%9D%E8%A8%BC%E3%82%82%E3%81%97%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93%E3%80%82%E3%83%9E%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%83%A6%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B6%E3%83%BC%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%81%8C%E3%80%81%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%9A%84%E3%81%8B%E3%81%A4%E6%A9%9F%E6%A2%B0%E7%9A%84%E3%81%AB%E6%83%85%E5%A0%B1%E3%82%92%E8%AA%8D%E8%AD%98%E3%83%BB%E5%88%86%E6%9E%90%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E7%B5%90%E6%9E%9C%E3%82%92%E5%87%BA%E5%8A%9B%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%BF%BB%E8%A8%B3%E3%82%B7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0%E3%82%92%E4%BD%BF%E7%94%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%81%A7%E3%81%82%E3%82%8B%E3%81%93%E3%81%A8%E3%82%92%E5%8D%81%E5%88%86%E3%81%AB%E7%90%86%E8%A7%A3%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E4%B8%8A%E3%81%A7%E3%80%81%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%82%92%E5%88%A9%E7%94%A8%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%81%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%BE%E3%81%99%E3%80%82%3Cbr%3E

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